Wabanaki trade brooch, ca. 1780

Contributed by Maine Historical Society

Description

Wabanaki people traded furs for silver and other goods, as did many other Indigenous Nations in what is currently the northeastern United States, starting with contact between Indigenous peoples and Europeans.

Wabanakis bought or traded for silver, and the silversmiths incorporated designs using Indigenous motifs in jewelry made for trade. Wabanaki artists also made trade brooches, sometimes called gorgets. The double curve design on this brooch is a very old Wabanaki design, still used in 2024.

James A. Purinton, Indian Agent serving at Old Town between 1860 and 1864 had this silver trade brooch in his collection.

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About This Item

  • Title: Wabanaki trade brooch, ca. 1780
  • Creation Date: circa 1780
  • Subject Date: circa 1780
  • Locations:
    • Old Town, Penobscot County, ME
    • NB, Canada
  • Media: Silver alloy
  • Dimensions: 19 cm x 19 cm
  • Local Code: 2420* #3
  • Object Type: Physical Object

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For more information about this item, contact:

Maine Historical Society
485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website

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